It would be extremely difficult to mount any sensible agreement that Collingwood could reverse their current slump in Perth on Friday night against the only top four team to win last week, West Coast Eagles.
Between 1994 and 2000, the Eagles won ten games in a row against the Magpies, and the expected win in Round 17 will take the current sequence of wins to five – all in the last two seasons.
The much underrated Adam Simpson, who has won more than 70 per cent of the games he has coached in four of the six years he has been at the helm, has recorded eight wins in the 11 games his team have played against the Magpies, including the last-gasp win in last year’s grand final.
This record is second only to the doyen of current coaches, Alastair Clarkson, who has a 12 out of 13 win ratio against Buckley.
West Coast Eagles smashed Fremantle in the local derby last week, restricting them to just two goals for the game, and will play the Magpies at the same venue, backed by an even more partisan crowd this week and with ruckman Nic Naitanui back in full flight and ready to take on Brodie Grundy, who has been the only shining light for Collingwood in the last three weeks.
Chris Masten this week will equal the games played tally of two former favourites of the Eagles fans who defected to the East Coast: John Worsfold and Quinton Lynch.
Worsfold is currently coaching Essendon who are making a charge for the final eight, and Lynch took up the free agent option and moved to Collingwood in 2013 with limited success, playing 18 games and scoring nine goals in his only year at the Magpies.
The versatile Elliott Yeo – who tagged one week and was tagged the next – will match the playing career of Beau Waters while at Collingwood.
Steele Sidebottom – who is still getting plenty of touches of the football but with much less effect – will join Syd Coventry, Tarkyn Lockyer and Shane O’Bree and move into the Top 20 game players of all time at the Magpies.
Coventry, the elder brother of VFL legend Gordon, originally signed to play for St Kilda but opted to stand out of football for 12 months so that he could join his brother at Collingwood – a much easier club to get to from Diamond Creek in 1922.
The decision paid dividends as in his 13 season, 227 game career, he captained Collingwood for seven years, including the four premierships in a row between 1927 and 1930.
His standout year was the first year of the four-peat, 1927 when he won the Brownlow Medal, Collingwood’s best and fairest and was best afield in the grand final.
He still remains the only premiership captain to win the Brownlow Medal in the same year. He again won Collingwood’s best and fairest in 1932.
Tarkyn Lockyer, a West Australian from North Albany, still remains at Collingwood as the Midfield Development coach. He debuted at Collingwood in 1999 against Fremantle and retired in 2010.
O’Bree was a contemporary of Lockyer, joining Collingwood from Brisbane in 2000.
Yattuzzi
Roar Rookie
Bill, you have a good memory to go back here. My comment was about our ruckman, still stands we win most but do get it roved against us. Bottom six are still up to it. And the Ratta is another power forward coming into form. The way I look at Geelong and WCE, we almost have the same two line ups as our previous match. We whalloped you then, why wouldn't it be the case now.
BBQ BILL
Roar Rookie
Once again, that was a different time of season, things change, teams change, eagles have changed since then. They're starting to hit form after a shaky start to season due to shorter preseason, injuries/surgery etc. They got whacked by Lions in Rnd 1, but that's just not going to happen again if they meet in finals. They got whacked by Cats at the cattery, that simply won't happen again in finals. My point is we've seen the Cats at their strongest, but the comp hasn't yet seen the eagles at their strongest! If you doubt that, then you make the same mistake as last season re Eagles in finals and GF.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Howe and Adams back next week for Moore and Pendlebury. All year for Pies its one in and one out, two in and two out.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Tigers the big danger. Cats still lead the pack.
BBQ BILL
Roar Rookie
That was my point, that was then, this is now. Footy changes, teams change. If they play each other again, it will be a closer margin or a different result-guaranteed! So it means nothing really in today's football, especially this season. Didn't Pies just have an insipid game, coach called it a shellacking, after a couple of losses, then they go on to win by a point in a game that wasn't actually the grand final. It's all swings and roundabouts until the fat lady sings!
Stephen Shortis
Roar Guru
I agree. Scharenberg working his way back to something. Need Howe badly.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
That was nearly the premiership blown based on what happened from about the 20 minute mark of the first qtr. So many chances and easy shots missed...Eagles should have had it done and dusted in the third qtr...still, Pies two quick goals start of the last, one of them thanks to Gov who let Mihocek out the back. Gov makes up for it later, De Goey doesn't go with him...then JD drops the easiest premiership sealing mark in the goal square dying moments...imagine if the Pies got clear and stole it after that? Maynard went predictably down the centre...should have gone wide and backed Stephenson to out run anyone...
Doctor Rotcod
Roar Rookie
I'll give you Goldsack,who played pretty well all things considered. Moore,maybe. Dunn,perhaps,Elliott,no.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Can’t for the life of me work why the Pies dropped Scharenberg. I get the other changes, Thomas has struggled, Daicos appears not up to the level. Noble and Crocker come in for pace, Greenwood to tag. Scharenberg is a puzzle particularly with Langdon and Howe still missing.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Pies weren’t full strength Doc and you know it. Goldsack was our full back for a start, no Moore, Dunn, Elliott...
Doctor Rotcod
Roar Rookie
Full strength Pies against the Eagles,missing Gaff,Sheppard and Naitanui, in the GF. How did that go? Excuses?
Doctor Rotcod
Roar Rookie
As a matter of interest,who would you drop from the Pies current playing 22? And Hutchings,Duggan,Petrucelle and Venables would be in the Eagles’ best. Not quite full strength there,but you are fond of stretching things. I expect the Eagles to win well,while the Pies will challenge here and there.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Full strength Eagles against injury ravaged Pies. No excuses Doc.
Doctor Rotcod
Roar Rookie
I like a game of ebbs and flows. Staunch defence keeps run-ons down,but the Hawks showed how to negate that two weeks in a row. Speed to contests, guard goal-side and kick well. When goals get kicked quickly, the runners can't get the coaches' instructions for necessary changes out to the players. Then they coach themselves. Pendlebury and Hurn will make all the difference.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Not sure the Eagles will let us off to a flying start this time. Maybe it will be the opposite. Eagles off to a flyer and we hunt them down. I live in hope of an upset but logic argues against it. Will be interesting though with two new half backs in the side in Noble and Quaynor. Might let Crisp go into the middle .
User
Roar Rookie
Was Always a big fan of tarkyn, good honest player.
Brian_K
Roar Rookie
I like the Mayne option, he's a smart player. The pies seem to only maintain a qtr or 2 of their game style against the eagles. I wonder what they will do differently to actually win the game. Cox cox cox... maybe he could borrow Trav's gloves.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Brian K. Totally agree with your comments on Greenwood. It's why they've picked mid season draft pick John Noble, he is very quick as is Isaac Quaynor. Chris Mayne hasplayed defenisve forward on Gov before and is one of the best team players in our side. They can send Mayne to McGovern to make him accountable. Trouble is Barrass then gets off the leash. Barrass is huge. Goes under the radar with Gov in the side. Bucks rates him very highly. I'll be watching how many times Cox gets pushed under the ball with interest.
Brian_K
Roar Rookie
Shuey seems to step up when against the pies. The most important tag is against McGovern. The pies need someone to sacrifice their game to nullify him. I think Mihocek has had the job but I'm not sure he is up to it. If not, McGovern will do what he does just like Sicily last week. Only play Greenwood if he solely a defensive mid, he is too slow for the back 50.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Who gets tagged? Yeo? Gaff? If Greenwood plays, expect him to get reported after being called soft by media lightweight Jonathan Brown. Which Ryan will show up? The one who took a great mark in the dying moments or the one who shirked a contest earlier in the GF?